Voodoo of the elements

Chango [Nago Shango]

God of fire, fighter, judge, lord of the lightning and thunder - brave, healthy looking man.

Initially Xango was worshipped by Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. Althoug he belongs among seven most powerful loa, he is not invoked in Haiti as often as other gods. He was born as one of the gods of earth and lived as a king of Oyo land on the earth with people.

Today he is worshipped as a god of justice. On the home altar Shango is symbolised by double axe or ram's horn. Invocation of Shango can help with legal proceeding or it can give more power and courage.

Oshun or Oxum, Ezili, Erzulie [Erzulie Freda]

Goddess of love and power of creation, abundance and passion - beautiful, seductive young woman.

Oshun is African Venus of Afrodite. She is the beauty, sensuality and love. Erzulia is a lady of visual arts and her attribute are jewels. She spreads the joy of life and passion. She heals diseases with cold water upon which she rules. Her generosity feeds the hungry. She spreads universal abundance so that everybody can enjoy the beauty of creation.

Careful, though, she is also a mother of witches and she colours herself with the blood of her enemies, she is the ruler of a vulture.

Oya or Yansa, Aida-Lenso, Olla.

Goddess of wind, fire, water and rainbow; ruler of the nature, fighter - courageous, beautiful, passionate and unpredictable.

Oya is a goddess of sudden change. Her energy is shown also in the destructive power of wind storms, floods and earthquakes.

The Power of Oya stems in her speed and her ability to change things immediately.

Yemaya or Imanje, La Balianne [Yemalla]

Goddess of the sea - motherly, she gives nutrition, loving and desirable.

Yemaya is a ruler of the sea and personification of female power. She is watching all the powers that give nutrition and food and she takes care of female affairs. Yemaya protects child in the womb and also protects home. She has the powers to nurture and to destroy. Her task is constant renewal. In many countries people celebrate her on the days of full moon.

Obatala or Oxala, Batala, Blanc Dani

Goddess of heavens, personification of creative energy - old with white hair, kind and extremely powerful.

Obatala is goddess of creation of Yoruba tribe. Her/his name is the word for god as such. Obatala is man and woman at the same time. He/She is direct descendant of the highest and onmipresent god Oludumar. He/She personifies highest ethical principals such as justice, wisdom, abilities and generosity. He/She brings wealth and well-being to people, heals the most serious or even deadly diseases. Obatala is constantly trying to create therefore always fights for protection of sources and nature.

Ogun or Ogum, Ogu [Ogoun]

Wild man of woods, god of iron and smithery, protector of wealth and work, peaceful and dangerous man.

Nigerian god Ogun transforms wild forests into new land for gods. He uses machete and axes for making way through the woodland, thus he is called a god of pioneers and "The one who prepares the way“. Ogun teaches people how to use knife for self-defence in the jungle. He teaches the smith craft, he helps people to build houses for shelter. He is the father of civilisation and technology. According to the legend he was initially crowned as a king, but once people learned everything from him, he returned the crown and left for the forests.

Agwe or Agwe-Taroyo

God of waters, lord of the seas, handsome, proud, he likes order, he takes care of his look.

He has strong character and tasks. He protects all the animals and plants and he preserves the harmony in nature. He is often compared to European god of sea, Neptune, from whom he probably took the trident as an attribute.

Agwe is called to calm the waves of the sea or ensure happy sailing, but mainly he is worshipped by those who fish and whose life depends on the life in the waters. People under his protection will never drown and water will never harm them.